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Grilled Lemon Garlic Salmon is a delicious grilled salmon recipe using a simple lemon garlic paste to season and flavor salmon steaks or a salmon filet. This is so easy to make, ready in less than 15 minutes, and is always a family favorite! And I think you’re going to love it too!!
Salmon is such a versatile fish with incredible flavor. It is delicious prepared and seasoned simply, but I think it also benefits from glazes, like our Cedar Plank Salmon with maple glaze or our Grilled Lemon Pepper Salmon. The bright and acidic flavors from the paste in this recipe create some lovely, bright, and savory flavors to the grilled lemon garlic salmon.
Table of Contents
Lemon Garlic Salmon Ingredients + Substitutions
For this grilled lemon garlic salmon, we will be making a simple paste and coating the salmon with the paste before grilling it. That will help lock in those amazing flavors!
- Salmon – We like thicker salmon like Chinook or Atlantic salmon. Thinner versions like sockeye need less time on the grill but can overcook faster. You can also substitute this recipe with steelhead or any large trout.
- Garlic – The garlic is best finely diced, or if you grate it using a microplane. Add more cloves if you really love garlic flavor (like me! Yum!).
- Honey – Honey adds a natural sweetness to the paste and also helps to thicken it up.
- Olive Oil – We prefer extra virgin olive oil for the flavor it adds to the paste.
- Dijon Mustard – Dijon adds a nice flavor and acidity. It also helps emulsify the paste with the oil. You can use different mustards depending on the flavor you want, like honey mustard for a slightly sweet taste.
- Lemon – Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest. We recommend zesting the lemon before cutting it to juice it. It makes it much easier.
- Seasoning – Add kosher salt and pepper for seasoning.
Preparation
- Salmon: Make sure the pin bones are removed. You can have your fishmonger do this when you buy the salmon or remove them using a pin bone tweezer. Removing the pin bones means a better texture after it’s cooked.
- Make Paste: In a small bowl combine all of the paste ingredients and mix so it’s combined. It should be emulsified and thicker, like a paste. You can do this the day before grilling and store the paste covered in the refrigerator.
There is no need to let the meat come to room temperature before grilling. It won’t substantially change the internal temperature in an hour. Focus on making sure the grill is at the proper temperature.
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How to Grill Lemon Garlic Salmon
- Preheat Grill: Prepare the grill for indirect grilling (two-zone grilling). Target the internal temperature of the grill at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. We prefer lump charcoal for flavor.
- Prep Salmon: In a small bowl, combine the paste ingredients and stir to combine. Brush the paste on the top of the salmon (or the flesh side). You do not need the paste on the skin side.
- Grill Salmon: Place the salmon filet on the grill grates over indirect heat, skin side down. Close the lid. Continue grilling indirectly until the internal temperature of the salmon at the thickest part reaches 135 degrees Fahrenheit using a good instant-read meat thermometer.
- Rest and Serve: Remove salmon from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes, allowing carryover cooking to happen. After resting, serve immediately with your favorite sides.
*For additional flavor, make grilled lemon slices, grilled over direct heat, and place the lemon slices over the finished salmon.
Grilled Salmon Tip
To avoid the salmon sticking to your grill grate, your grate needs to be clean of any grime and dirt. Be sure it’s cleaned before grilling.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
If you have leftovers, the best way to reheat lemon garlic salmon is to pan-sear it. In a large pan over medium heat add oil. When the oil starts to smoke, place the salmon flesh side down on the oil for 2 minutes. Then flip and allow it to continue to cook for an additional 4 minutes until warm. The skin will prevent the meat from burning.
Wine Pairing For Grilled Lemon Garlic Salmon
When buying wine to pair with this lemon garlic salmon the citrus flavor is the main pairing profile. Look for a Sauvignon Blanc or an un-oaked Chardonnay to enhance those bright citrus notes. If you want red a Beaujolais. The citrus flavor can mute the flavor of richer red wines.
Side ideas for grilled lemon garlic salmon
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Restaurant Style Roasted Potatoes
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Grilled Lemon Garlic Salmon
Equipment
- 1 Instant Read Thermometer Avoid overcooking the salmon with a quality instant read thermometer. We use the Thermoworks Thermapen One.
- 1 Fish Spatula It's easier to transfer salmon to and from the grill using a thin fish spatula.
- 1 Pin bone tweezers To remove pin bones from the salmon.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds salmon, (You can use a whole filet or individual salmon steaks)
Lemon Garlic Paste
- 3 cloves garlic, very finely diced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, (Avoid the concentrated version)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Grill: Prepare the grill for indirect grilling or two-zone grilling. Target the internal temperature of the grill at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. We prefer lump charcoal for flavor.
- Make Lemon Garlic Paste: In a small bowl, combine the paste ingredients and stir to combine.
- Season Salmon: Brush the paste evenly on the top of the salmon (the flash side). You do not need the paste the skin side.
- Grill Indirect: Gently place the salmon filet on the grill grates over indirect heat. Close the lid. Continue grilling indirectly until the internal temperature of the salmon at the thickest part reaches 135 degrees Fahrenheit using a good instant-read meat thermometer.
- Rest and Serve: Remove salmon from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes, allowing carryover cooking to happen. After it rests, immediately serve with your favorite sides.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
